Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE) of Lightweight Alloys for Automotive Components

Industry Participant:Magna International Inc.

National Laboratories:Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Abstract

Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE) will be developed to manufacture non-circular multicell profiles using feedstock comprised of magnesium and secondary aluminum. The project will include integration of a porthole extrusion die within the rotating ShAPE process developed by PNNL. The complexity of the profile geometry will be advanced over the course of the project from round to square, to asymmetric trapezoidal, to two-cell asymmetric trapezoidal. Aluminum alloy 6063 in the form of briquettes (compacted shred and engineered machined chips) and castings from pre-consumer industrial scrap in both homogenized and non-homogenized form will be evaluated for use as the feedstock. Tensile tests will be conducted and compared at ASTM minimum standard and ASM typical values.